Certificate of Participation #2

All done with swimming lessons! I will be a tadpole for the third time next year. When I can master all of the skills, then I will get a certificate of completion instead of participation. Then I'd be a frog. Who wants to be a slimy frog anyway? Mommy said I mastered her goal for me and that was all that mattered. Mommy's goal: Scream less on the last lesson than I did on the first. And I did it! Last night, Mommy even got water in my eyes (oops) during my bath, but I didn't even fuss. I just rubbed my eyes and went back to playing.

Just Keep Swimming

Look at me! I'm under water! I still cry a lot during swimming lessons, but I am learning to stop crying when Mommy gets to 3 because that means I'm going under! Yesterday, I even started kicking my legs instead of keeping them wrapped tight around Mommy. Only two more lessons left, and I've been working very hard! Mommy wants me to keep practicing since I am getting better!

Oh Yeah! I'm Standing!

So I have this cool new game that I've been playing since yesterday. I did it first with Papa, then Mommy and Daddy. Usually, I stand in front of them when they are sitting on the floor, and I hang on to their shoulders or chest. But now, I totally let go. Yeah, that's right! And I stand for a few seconds all on my own until I realize I'm standing, and then I laugh and fall over. But then I do it again, and again, and again! It's a good feeling to have space all around me! And I'm barefoot too, so Mommy keeps saying imagine how good I might do with ankle braces or shoes on! But she hasn't taken the ankle braces out of the closet yet. :o) Mommy says she foresees some major bruises soon. But I'm pretty tough, and I have a real determined look on my face when I'm standing.

My Elbows are Causing Problems Again!

Mommy talked with my occupational therapist and she was happy to report that I had officially met her goal of crawling more than 10 feet on my hands and knees. Yay for me! It's very hard for me to bear weight on my arms because of the bone abnormality in my elbows, so this was a big deal! I also can't straighten my arms to 180 degrees like most people can. It's called congenital radial head dislocation. It basically means my elbows are dislocated. There's really nothing the orthopedist can do about it. He said sometimes when growth spurts happen, the bone in the upper arm can start to stick out (since it's not in the joint where it should be) and then surgery has to be done to shave the bone down. Yuck.

Anyway, so I am crawling now but because of my elbows, I am not putting my hands flat on the floor when I crawl. They are more like fists, because it helps redistribute the weight so I don't feel it as much in my elbows. The occupational therapist wants to put these fingerless gloves on me to help me remember to flatten my hands. But Mommy's not so sure about it, because I am doing what they wanted me to do! I am crawling on all fours, I just had to adapt it a little to make it less uncomfortable for me! But Mommy says it can't hurt to go ahead and order them, so we'll see. I bet they will probably wind up in the closet with my back brace and ankle braces. :o)

My Doctor Days

So here is how my 5 doctor's appointments went this week. Oh yeah, and a behavior therapy evaluation too.

1. Dr. Pollack, Genetics: I just visit her every six months so she can keep a running record of my life. Mommy says we go there so that if some other mom says, "My kid has 2q what?!" they will not be flying blind like we do. They'll have notes from me! Anyway, Dr. Pollack was happy with me but wants Mommy to not let me play with balloons at home because it is a self-absorbed behavior. Mommy says anyone else with young children doesn't call it self-absorbed. They called it entertaining yourself, and they are jealous that their babies don't do the same thing! Also, she fussed at Mommy again for not teaching me baby sign language. Mommy says it's a little discouraging because I refuse to even wave bye bye, and we've been doing that "sign" for over three years. Secretly, I can sign in complete sentences, I am just choosing not to share that information with them just yet. :o) Mommy says next time she goes to see Dr. Pollack, she wants to wear a shirt that says, "I'm doing the best I can."

2. Audiology: Once again, I did not pass the hearing test, but I didn't fail either. They checked the box that says uncooperative. They should have a default form for me that has that box checked! I just have no interest in turning to look at a speaker box when it calls my name over and over. I looked a couple of times, but no one was there, so I got bored and spit on Mommy's arm instead. Mommy is not concerned about my hearing abilities, other than it's selective. But that runs in the family.

3. Dr. Moser, ENT: This is the doctor Papa doesn't like, because he yelled at Mommy when she went for a second opinion about my nosebleeds. But he's the only pediatric ENT that I can see, so we just deal with it. He's not too bad, but that day is always in the back of Mommy's mind. Anyway, he said my tubes are still in and come back in 3 months. Usually by then, the tubes are out again.

4. Dr. Livingston, Pulmonology: I see him every six months for my allergies and breathing difficulties. But it's a really easy appointment. He gave Mommy my prescriptions and we were out the door in just minutes!

5. Dr. Galey, Pediatrician: Just a regular checkup, but also a follow up to my ear infection a few weeks ago. He was wearing a stethoscope around his neck, and I know that means he's a doctor. So as soon as he walked in the door, I started pretend crying and yelled, "All done! All done!" He didn't leave though. Oh well. He was very happy with the progress I've been making in therapy, and I liked him because he didn't take my balloon away while he was looking at me. He didn't even make me get out of my stroller, my personal space. I had to get a booster shot for the Hepatitis A vaccine, but it wasn't too bad. I cried for a second, then Mommy handed me my balloon, I yelled, "All done!" and then we left.

6. Andrea, Behavior Therapist: She thinks she can really help me but said it will be a slow process. She has no idea. :o) She and Mommy decided we would work on self-injury, aggression, and food refusal. Should be interesting!

Swimming Lessons

I started my swimming lessons today. A picture's worth a thousand words. No explanation necessary. I have several doctor's appointments tomorrow. Then I'll probably wish I was at

swimming lessons!

I Made A Mess!

So, I really love going to school sometimes. They have toys there, on bookshelves like at my house, so I can reach them without help. But, you can't do this at school. And it really is half the fun of playtime. Bonus! Mommy doesn't make me clean it up. How sweet is that?!

Naptime In My Crib

This is what I did yesterday instead of resting. It was much more fun!

I'm Back, Baby!

Well, for the last few days I have been giving Mommy a really hard time. I still haven't been feeling wonderful, although I was much better than last weekend. So Mommy and Papa took me to the doctor yesterday and they put me on some pink medicine that supposedly tastes like bubble gum, but I wouldn't know! :o) But even though I've been feeling much better, I was still pretty much not eating, or eating very little. Like two or three bites at breakfast, then nothing for lunch or dinner. Not even butterscotch pudding or Trix yogurt. Mommy and Daddy were getting very scared that I was not going to eat anymore. But then Mommy started to suspect that I was just being stubborn with her, just like I always am when everyone else tries to feed me.

Then she had an idea! When it was time for lunch today, Daddy tried to feed me instead of Mommy. And of course, I didn't like that, so I threw a fit and cried and screamed, and Mommy just stood in the kitchen and watched me! Can you believe that?! Finally, after like five whole minutes, Mommy came over and took the bowl from Daddy so she could feed me. She rescued me! And I ate a whole jar of squash and an entire container of pudding in just a few minutes, and I didn't complain at all. I think Mommy called it reverse psychology. Whatever that means.

I Have a New Friend!

Announcing my new friend Ansley! She was born early this morning to my mommy's friend Alicia after many, many hours of labor! The baby was due June 11th, on her Daddy's birthday, so they nicknamed her June Bug. It looked for a little while like she may not be a June Bug after all, but she took her sweet time coming out (Mommy says thank goodness for epidurals) and was born at 1:58 a.m. on June 1st. She is 21 inches long and weighs 7 pounds 3 ounces. I am definitely the big girl now. Andrew, Alicia, and Ansley are all doing well!